How to Build Floating Stairs

When choosing how to build floating stairs, you need to look at a few factors. Firstly, look at safety. If the stairs are to be frequented by children, railings are a must! Also, stability and strength are very important.

Take a look at how to build floating stairs in this series of photos:

The original staircase before installing the floating stairs

Gut the entire basement for a clean slate to work from

No point in removing the stairs yet… First lets finish the walls.

Studding the walls before installing the new stairs

Getting the drywall installed in the basement.

Stair stingers are cut and ready!

How to install floating stairs… These stringers will be the supports!

Building the support for floating stairs.

How to make floating stair supports

Finish up the drywall while waiting for the treads to be delivered

Testing the floating stairs installation logistics.

Testing the floating stairs strength before the new treads come in.

New floating stair treads are here!

How to install floating stairs – treads

Floating stair treads

Fully installed floating stairs

How to install floating stairs

Finished floating stairs

Finishing out the drywall by the floating stair base

The walls get finishing touches, and the base of the floating stairs gets painted as well.

A little back story. Buy a new house, and see the potential for an amazing basement. Gut the basement. With a clean slate, build the basement into an awesome hang out spot.

The original basement stairs were ugly. They had storage under them, but they were ugly. The new homeowner is a very handy fellow. Andrew Fox, homeowner, is an engineer. Once the old walls and stairs were removed, he studded and drywalled the basement. After that, Andrew proceeded to design and build his own floating stairs.

Curtis, thanks for the great post! I just stumbled across this post and am extremely interested in giving this project a try. Sadly there does not exist a link for the book you recommended above. Is there additional information you can provide on this project?